


Unexpected but not unwelcome

by AuraSweet13



Category: The Blacklist (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fake/Pretend Relationship
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-02-23
Packaged: 2019-11-04 11:26:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17897558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuraSweet13/pseuds/AuraSweet13
Summary: A fic with an alternate ending to 6x05, ‘Alter Ego’. Instead of going to the company that specializes in actors, Ressler asks one of his colleagues that are a little closer to home to accompany him to the wedding. Ressvabi.





	Unexpected but not unwelcome

**Author's Note:**

> In my preferred canon, Samar and Aram are not engaged, or even dating for that matter.

Donald Ressler would’ve been lying if he said he hadn’t been tempted to use Alter Ego’s services to find a date for his cousin’s wedding. And then they’d learned the truth about Timothy’s girlfriend, sister and brother in law. **  
**

After that, the idea of using Alter Ego’s services seemed far less appealing. But, he still needed a date to his cousin’s wedding, otherwise Marty Ressler would never let him hear the end of it. And he’d gotten more than enough grief from his cousin about his relationships-or lack thereof-growing up to last him a lifetime.

So naturally, his next thought was to take one of his coworkers to the wedding. They were all pretty well-versed in going undercover for some reason or another.

And that was how he found himself walking over to the desk Samar sat behind. She seemed to be deeply engrossed in playing a word game on her phone. He couldn’t resist the small smile that came to his lips at the sight.

Before he had the chance to clear his throat to get her attention, she was looking up at him. “Hey, Ressler. What’s up?” She asked.

“About my cousin’s wedding…” He started, internally wincing. Smooth, Don, real smooth. He thought. Yeah, smooth like crunchy peanut butter, maybe. “I was wondering if you’d accompany me.”

Samar blinked, looking surprised. “So you decided not to use Alter Ego’s services after all?” She asked, and he shook his head in response.

“I’d rather take someone I know I can trust.” He said, looking seriously at her. “Someone who won’t try to kill me for money first chance they get.” Not that he had much to begin with, but that was beside the point.

“Sure, Ressler. I’d be happy to help you out.” Samar responded, and he was only a little surprised by how happy her response made him.

“Thank you, Samar.” He said, gently placing a hand on her arm.

She smiled gently back at him. “You’re welcome, Ressler.”

\---

“And you’re sure you’re okay with the fact that we’re technically a day early?” Ressler asked as they sat in the rental car on the way to his mother’s house, where they would apparently be staying. They had both decided on more casual clothing than the formal ones they usually wore-Ressler had on a blue button down and a pair of jeans, while Samar wore a loose dark purple tunic top and a sleek pair of black jeans. Her hair was somewhere between her tight, high ponytails for work and loose around her shoulders-pulled up into a half-ponytail.

Samar looked pointedly at him. “Ressler, if I wasn’t okay with it, I wouldn’t have agreed to it.” She wanted to tell him this wasn’t the first time she’d posed as someone’s girlfriend, wife or fiancee, but something stopped her from doing so. “So, what exactly have you told them about me, about ‘us’? Just so I know what the story is.”

“Well, I told them that it was a pretty recent thing.” He explained. “And that we met at work.”

Samar nodded. Simple, easy, and not entirely a lie. She could work with that. And whatever else happened this long weekend, she could roll with the punches. “Okay, then. I can work with that.”

Before long, he pulled into the driveway of a beautiful two story home. Samar looked out the window of the rental car and gave a low, impressed whistle. “Wow. This place is beautiful.” She said as she looked at him.

Ressler nodded absently. “This is where I grew up.” He said as he got out of the car to go around to the trunk and grab their bags. Unsurprisingly, Samar was right there, too, grabbing her bag and putting it over her shoulder.

The pair of them walked up the driveway, along the path to the front steps, in amicable silence. It was comfortable, and they both relished it.

They had barely reached the front door before it was opening and an older woman who clearly had to be Mrs. Ressler opened the door, beaming. She had blonde hair with only faint streaks of silver in it, and warm blue eyes. “Donnie.” She said warmly, immediately sweeping him into a hug.

As Samar watched, a soft smile came to Ressler’s face as he hugged the woman back. “Hi, mom.” When she finally let him go, he pulled back. “Mom, this is Samar. Samar, this is my mother, Alexandra Ressler.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Ressler.” Samar said politely.

The older woman turned to her, beaming as she swept her into a hug that definitely caught Samar off guard. “You can call me Alexandra, dear. It’s so good to meet you.” She pulled back and ushered for them to come inside. “Come on in, almost everyone is here.” Then she turned and headed into the house.

“After you.” Ressler said, giving Samar a polite smile. She returned it and took a few moments to brace/center herself before she entered the house. Knowing that this was where Ressler had grown up, she wanted to look at everything. There were tons of pictures on the walls, Alexandra and Ressler with a man who had to be Ressler’s father and a boy who had to be Ressler’s brother; Ressler on his bike; playing in the backyard with his brother.

He looked so carefree in all of the photos that Samar couldn’t help smiling.

The walls were a warm golden yellow color, there was hardwood flooring all throughout the house. That she could see, anyway.

And there was a curly furred black dog loping towards her. She gasped and lifted her hands to try and stop it from jumping up on her.

“Teddy, down.” She looked over as Ressler came to her side, the dog obeying his command right away and sitting on his haunches, licking at his hand as Ressler scratched behind his ears. “Sorry, I forgot to ask if you were okay with dogs.”

“I’m not scared of them. I just, haven’t been around them often.” Samar told him. “Pets weren’t exactly ‘a thing’ in Tehran.” Cautiously, she reached out her hand and stroked his head. It was easier now that he was calmer.

“Teddy! Here boy!” An unfamiliar male voice called, and the dog went scampering back in the direction of where Samar assumed the living room was. “Don, is that you?” The man called. “Get in here so we can meet this girlfriend of yours!” In keeping with the act, Samar laced her fingers through Ressler’s.

He squeezed hers in response, and she barely managed to fight a shiver when she felt his breath on her ear. “If you get overwhelmed at any point during this weekend, let me know and I’ll work something out.”

“I will.” She whispered back. And with that, the pair of them walked down the hall to the entryway of the living room.

\---

There were a couple of other older adults-aunts and uncles, probably. But she was focused on his brother for the moment.

To Samar’s surprise, his brother had brown hair, rather than strawberry blonde like Ressler and Alexandra both did. She remembered that he had gone in for a bypass a couple years ago, and it was good to see that he seemed to be well-but she didn’t know if Ressler had informed his brother that she knew. Or if she was even supposed to know about it. So, she wouldn’t say anything about it until Ressler did, or until she could talk to him later for clarification. “Declan Ressler.” He held out his hand.

She shook it, smiling at him. “Samar Navabi. It’s nice to meet you.”

“So, how did my baby brother snag a knockout like you?” Declan asked, and Samar felt her cheeks flame.

“Declan.” Ressler reprimanded him, causing the older man to laugh and clap Ressler on the shoulder.

“We work together.” She responded. Samar wasn’t made uncomfortable by his teasing, though-it seemed like typical older sibling behavior.

Declan’s eyebrow rose. “You’re FBI?”

 _Now_  Samar was defensive. “Yes.” She responded, crossing her arms protectively over her chest.

Declan raised his hands in a placating gesture. “I didn’t mean any disrespect.” He said, and she believed him.

Samar relaxed a little as she waved off his words. “People are usually surprised when they find out I’m FBI. I think it’s the accent.” She stated simply.

To his credit, Declan didn’t say anything about her accent. “Well, I’m happy Don’s found someone who knows what he does for a living.” Declan said, his tone earnest.

“Where's Marty?” Ressler asked, still standing by her side. Their hands were still joined, but she said nothing, nor did she make a move to take her hand from his.

“Him and Clara are running a little late, but they’ll be here for dinner.” Alexandra said as she came out of the kitchen. She looked at Samar and Ressler. “Why don’t you two go upstairs and unpack?”

Ressler nodded, kissing Alexandra on the cheek. “That’s a good idea.” He let her hand go to start up the stairs, and Samar followed him.

Samar knew only one thing for sure at this present moment-it was going to be an interesting few days.


End file.
